Apple's iAd makes UK debut in December

Apple has sent word the company will launch the mobile advertising platform iAd in the UK and France in December, with Germany to follow in January.

By
Nick Spence
| 18 Nov 10

Apple has said little other than being "very happy" with its iAd platform but is clearly still looking to build its mobile advertising network business internationally. According to Apple, the iAd network reaches millions of iPhone and iPod touch users globally, and is a highly desirable platform for advertisers.

Following an announcement earlier this month confirming a tie-up with Dentsu's subsidiary cyber communications (cci) in Japan, Apple will bring the iAd platform to Europe from next month.

Apple has sent word the company will launch the mobile advertising platform in the UK and France in December, with Germany to follow in January.

"As the world leader in the beauty business, L’Oréal aims to create the most meaningful connections between its brands and its customers, so iAd was a natural choice," said Marc Menesguen, L’Oréal’s Head of strategic marketing.

"We’re thrilled by the quality, the interactivity and the depth of iAd’s user experience, giving us an unparalleled opportunity to reach and serve the most engaged and discerning customers at the digital forefront of beauty, hence our choice of Lancôme to lead our iAd campaign."

Launched in the US in July 2010, Apple said today iAd has signed on over half of the top 25 leading US national advertisers in just four months, with a projected 21 per cent share of US mobile display advertising revenue for 2010 according to research firm IDC.

At that launch, Apple's CEO Steve Jobs said the average iPhone user spends around 30 minutes a day using applications. "Now, if we said we wanted to put an ad up every three minutes, that would be 10 ads per device per day. We’re going to soon have 100 million devices [running the iPhone OS]. That’s a billion ad opportunities per day in the iPhone and iPod touch community. This is a pretty serious opportunity."

"We’re thrilled to add leading global brands to the iAd Network in Europe and create even more great opportunities for developers," said Andy Miller, Apple’s vice president of iAd. "In just four months, we’ve doubled the number of advertisers on the network and thousands of developers now have a valuable new source of revenue."

The European expansion should help Apple compete better with Google's AdMob mobile advertising service, which is currently available more broadly and internationally.

Apple notes, advertisers can learn more about the iAd platform at advertising.apple.com. Developers who join the iAd Network will receive an "industry standard" 60 per cent of the revenue, which is paid via iTunes Connect. Developers can visit developer.apple.com/iad to join the iAd Network or to learn more about the platform.

Apple has been criticised for keeping a tight control over the creative aspects of the iAd platform, something advertisers aren't used to. In October, Business Insider claimed Apple had rejected a Adidas creative concept for the third time, leading to the decision to drop the campaign altogether.

Business Insider reported: "An Apple rep did not comment, but has not denied that Adidas has pulled out of the iAd program. (And, to be sure, perhaps Adidas had really lame ideas, and Apple was right to reject them.) Adidas did not respond to our request for comment." The Adidas deal was rumoured to be worth $10+ million (£6.32 million).